What type of beetle is this?

Question

It's tan/brown, about the size of a fingernail, and doesn't seem to have mastered the art of landing. In the midwest US, I see dozens of these things lying on their backs with their legs flailing away (especially at night).

Answer 1

Sounds like a brown beetle. They come out at night and stick to my screen door all the time. http://images.google.com/images?q=pictur...

Answer 2

Redshorts brown beetle is not the name of a beetle but a description of its color.  The Google pictures are of brown colored beetles.  You already knew that when you asked the question.  There are a number of beetles, like the june bug, that are weak fliers and terrible landers.  If you select one of the pictures on the "brown beetle page" I should be able to identify it..

Answer 3

The june bug is a common beetle found in the midwest.

It is constantly bouncing off walls.  

http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/bimg1...